Media Systems analysis (Syria)
Media systems differ from one country to another. Therefore, it is important to get closer and understand the media systems of each country. Analyzing media systems allow us to explore the challenges and recommendations of each country and help us discover solutions to obtain a better future for “the press reflects the system of social control whereby the relations of individuals and institutions are adjusted” (Siebert, Peterson & Schramm 1956: 1–2)(As cited in Romano, 2003). This paper will examine the media system in the Syrian Arab Republic and study one of its media outlets, Al Dunya TV.
Syria, known as the Syrian Arab Republic located in western Asia. The geographical location of Syria makes it close to several countries like Lebanon, Turkey, Iraq, Palestine and Jordan. Also, Syria borders the Mediterranean sea from its west. According to the International Religious Freedom Report 2006, Syrias 185,180 km2 area embraces 18,840,950 individuals that 74% are Muslim Sunni, 13% other Muslim groups like Shitte, Alawi, Ismailis, 10% are Christians and 3% are Durzi. Syria’s capital is Damascus and official language is Arabic.
Syria has 5 daily national newspapers: Al-Baath, Al-Thawra, Al-Tishrin, The Syrian Times and Enab Baladi, 4 TV stations: Syrian TV, Al-Dunya TV, Orient News, Al-Ghad, 3 radio stations: Syrian Arab Republic Radio, Al-Madina FM, Syrian Radio Network and one news agency SANA (Syrian Arab News Agency). The satellite TV is a supreme medium. Also, foreign TV stations are watched by a lot of Syrians. 3 out of 5 daily national newspapers are owned by the state. However, the private ones are owned by individuals or groups who support and have good connections with the regime. Almost all TV stations, newspapers and radio participate in the online world by having their own websites. Currently, more than seven private-owned radio stations are contributing in the FM wave by the permission of law to broadcast ads, cultural topics and music only.
Syria has a mobilization type of media system. “The media appear to be “nationalized”, but in fact ownership is not they key, since the regime or its agents may own some newspapers but it does not necessarily own all the media directly.” (Rugh, 2007). The political environment in Syria is under the control of the ruling individuals that face that cannot be disagreed with. Although the Syrian regime does not own the media but has power over the press and prohibit criticizing the Presidents, officials, leaders or governmental policies. However, the regime considers the press to be a tool to “mobilize support for its political programs.” (Rugh, 2007) through the content of the media outlet that is fully supportive for the regime and revolutionary. Moreover, Syria has a single national news agency that services the regime in controlling the press more. (Rugh, 2007, p 6)
There are 5.9 million internet users by 2014 (InternetLiveStats.com) (As cited in Syria profile — Media, 2015). Social media platforms and other blogs where prohibited and their access was repudiated. Nevertheless, some blogs and websites were found. For example, Al-Safahat and Syria Comments are blogs that report about political and cultural issues. Moreover, All4syria.info website is known as the most read platform and has 17,000 subscribers every day. It’s viewed as a modern and non-traditional media outlet. The web is viewed as a platform for rebels in Syria and played a big role in accomplishing the 2011 Syrian Crisis.
Syria’s Media Analysis:
1. Pre-Uprising History of the media:
Syria has a mobilization type of media system. “The media appear to be “nationalized”, but in fact ownership is not they key, since the regime or its agents may own some newspapers but it does not necessarily own all the media directly.” (Rugh, 2007). The political environment in Syria is under the control of the ruling individuals that face that cannot be disagreed with. Although the Syrian regime does not own the media but has power over the press and prohibit criticizing the Presidents, officials, leaders or governmental policies. However, the regime considers the press to be a tool to “mobilize support for its political programs.” (Rugh, 2007) through the content of the media outlet that is fully supportive for the regime and revolutionary. Moreover, Syria has a single national news agency that services the regime in controlling the press more. (Rugh, 2007, p 6)
The Syrian regime since 1970 under the presidency of Hafez AL Assad, has subjected the media outlets to an authoritarian regime. For the 29 years of Assad’s presidency, the Syrian population were monopolized by the government media outlets and received the information they should conceive accordingly. In His era only three newspapers were highly active Al-Baath, Tishreen, and Thawra. The only TV channels were the state run Televisions (Marrouch, R 2014).
However, this authoritarian era continued to be more limited and away from the libertarianism as his son Bashar took on the rule after him in 2000. The accustomed to oppressed freedom of speech and freedom of press Syrian found in Bashar’s presidency a more lenient liberalization and this era was named the Damascus spring. The Damascus spring had a more limited freedom of speech, ability to express in politics and new private media outlets erupted. People of Syria enjoyed this phase but were aware of the prohibitions subjected on referring to the president with caution and discipline. Ali Farzat marked the media history in Syria through the most ventured and successful magazine Al-Doumari (BBC 2012).
Nevertheless, the short bliss of limited liberalization ended when Al Doumari was shut down in 2003, speech liberals were arrested. Although the 2005 amendment for media in Syria was issued, private media outlets were allowed to surface with many limitations on their content and with the prohibition of any political talk (Marrouch, R 2014).
2. The Syrian Media after the conflict:
After the conflict in 2011 and with many restrictions on the media outlets and the exhibition of news, the Syrians decided to take the responsibility on their shoulders to report facts and news of the current blackened situation. The state controlled TVS displayed a wrongful image about the current situation whereas the social media activists were the true outlets for facts reporting (BBC, 2012). The Douniya TV, the most provocative channel of all time that is pro-Syrian government broadcasted fashion tips instead of news (Marrouch, R 2014).
The most credible sources for news coverage for Syrian were regional outlets such as AL Jazeera and AL Arabiya whom had reporter activists risking their lives daily for balanced news (BBC, 2012).
The Sham Network came to life under the shadow of this conflict, generating reports to the world via Skype (Marrouch, R 2014). Upon their credibility and success, they issued their first newspaper in 2013 and published it regionally (BBC, 2012).
Many other private media outlets erupted within the same time frame, leading the Syrian citizens to a new liberalized freedom of speech that was inspired from the death of a nation and the black out of national pro government channels.
Al Dunya TV:
It was founded by a number of leading Syrian business men, most remarkably Mohammad Hamsho. The Television was established for the private sector in 2005 and ever since its launching it was apparent; it is pro governmental (INSTITUTE FOR WAR & PEACE REPORTING, 2013).
The Television had many entertainment programs and one news reporting (AL Dunya official website). However, after the conflict in 2011, the television only broadcasted news. There were many contradictions and flaws in its broadcasting during the crisis. First of all the TV fell under the wings of the authoritarian regime of AL Assad and was bias for the government neglecting the Syrian affairs of wars.
It broadcasted false news, and focused on entertainment shows at times of slaughter, leading it to lose credibility amongst the citizens of Syria. Donatella Della Ratta the reporter cited that this channel was more aggressive than the Syrian national TV itself towards its pro governmental approach and excluding of the fact (BBC, 2012).
It breached many ethical conducts of reporting and caused mass miscommunication and defragmentation of facts to a point where the Syrian pro-government journalist Micheline Azar entered Daraya and instead of assisting the severely wounded women, she interviewed her and then moved on to interviewing two children next to their dead mother’s body ((Marrouch, R 2014).
The Dounya TV timeline shows and reflects the oppression of media and the censorship of truth when an outlet that is supposed to echo the sounds of citizens, echoes for appraisal and appreciation from a corrupt government.
The Future of Media in Syria:
The future of media in the Syrian region is a prosperous and positive one due to all the movements and private media outlets that has erupted over the last period. The only way to guarantee the consistency of the liberalization is through donor strategies that fit the new context of the Syrian media after the crisis. Providing training and literacy knowledge of the internet and social media platforms for the uprising journalist and through the non-governmental support of the agents of change.
References
1. BBC (2012). OUNTRY CASE STUDY: SYRIA Support to media where media freedoms and rights are constrained. Retrieved from: http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/mediaaction/pdf/syria.pdf
2. INSTITUTE FOR WAR & PEACE REPORTING (2013). Syria Media Map. Retrieved from: https://iwpr.net/sites/default/files/download/publication/iwpr_syria_media_map.pdf
3. Marrouch, R (2014). Syria’s post-uprising media outlets: Challenges and opportunities in Syrian radio start-ups. Reuters Institute for the study of Journalism. Retrieved from: https://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/sites/
4. Owels, K. (2011, April 21) Syria’s Assad ends state of emergency. Reuters. Retrieved from http://www.reuters.com/article/us-syria-idUSTRE72N2MC20110421
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